Ganrar
This section has been extracted from THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. Ethnographic Glossary. Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. . |
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Ganrar
A boating, fishing and trading caste of Eastern Bengal, identified by M. Vivien de St. Martin with the Gangaridre of Pliny and ptolemy. They claim to be descended from Madhesia K{llldus, whose ancestors were brought to Dacca five generations ago by the Muhammadan Government from Surya-garhi in Bhagal¬ pur to act as rowers on board the imperial dispatch boats. The caste is most numerous in Dacca, but they are also met with in Silhet, Tipperah, and Mairoansinh, working as cultivators. Bucha¬nan mentions that the Ganrar of Rangpur originally came from Dacca, two hundred families being in his time domiciled along the banks of the Brahmaputra.
In former times the Gand.r had the reputation of being the bravest of all boatmen, and the river daHlts never dared to attack boats manned by them. Now-a-days they are great traders, carrying in their large cargo-boats, called Falwc]1', rice, cotton, and linseed to Calcutta, Bhagwangolah, and other centres of trade. They generally do business on their own account, and being honest and straightforward, obtain advances of money on favourable terms from the bankers.
Ganrars use the three-pronged harpoon (tenta) with great dexter¬ ity to kill alligators and Gangetic porpoises, a float being attached to the weapon with a rope. Porpoise oil is in great repute f01' burning, and as an embrocation for rheumatism. It usually sells for three to five rupees a man. rrurtles are frequently harpooned for food, and turtle eggs .are deemed a great delicacy. Gaurars work at almost any trade, but in Dacca they will not take to cultivating the soil. The women are principally employed in parching grain and selling it in Mzars.
1'hey all belong to one gob'a, the Aliman, and the purohit is a Patit Brahman. By Religion the caste is mainly Vaishnava, but deities unknown to the Brahwanical Pantheon are also worshipped. Jjike most of the low castes, the Ganrar set afloat the BerG. in honollr of Khwajah Khizr, and pay special adoration to Sat Narayana. On the last day of Sravan they sacrifice a turtle to Manasa Devl, the goddess of snakes, and make offerings in the month of Pans to Bura-BurL the Gannlrs of DacC'a, through Brahmanical influence, have relinquished the worship of Khala-Kumari, who is regarded by the Ganrars of Rangpur as the Naiad of the river. This worship, probably like that of Bum-Burl, a survival of an earlier animistic faith, is only found in outlying districts, where Hinduism has imperfectly established its sway.
Ganrars rarely eat flesh, but they freely indulge in spirits, and often in ganja. At the present day they marry their daughters as infants, and, unlike the Kfllldu8, from whom they profess to be descended, forbid widows to marry again. Divorce is not recognised.
